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Mysterious "Cold Spot": Fingerprint of Largest Structure In the Universe?

Posted by samzenpus on from the biggest-there-is dept.

astroengine writes At the furthest-most reaches of the observable universe lies one of the most enigmatic mysteries of modern cosmology: the cosmic microwave background (CMB) Cold Spot. Discovered in 2004, this strange feature etched into the primordial echo of the Big Bang has been the focus of many hypotheses — could it be the presence of another universe? Or is it just instrumental error? Now, astronomers may have acquired strong evidence as to the Cold Spot's origin and, perhaps unsurprisingly, no multiverse hypothesis is required. But it's not instrumental error either. It could be a vast "supervoid" around 1.8 billion light-years wide that is altering the characteristics of the CMB radiation traveling through it.

9 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. looks like they found... by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1, Funny

    your mom.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  2. Supervoid by 7bit · · Score: 3, Funny

    "vast supervoid around 1.8 billion light-years wide"

    Wow, that must have been some BIG super-collider accident.

  3. Re:Nobody cares, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do you ever feel dirty for replying offtopic to useless/joke posts to get your "serious" post to show up higher on the list?

  4. Other explanations: by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    2. Door out of the Holodeck.
    3. Kolob
    4. Missing dryer socks
    5. Where another LHC went "south"
    6. Where God divided by zero
    7. Where the Death Star exploded, taking out the neighborhood
    8. Universe's belly button
    9. Universe's tail end orifice

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  5. Furthest-most by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    At the furthest-most reaches

    Furthest-most? When "furthest" is just not far enough?

    This is the worstest made up word I've seen in a long time.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  6. Is it a "Structure" by tomhath · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ca a void be a structure? That doesn't seem like it would compile.

    1. Re:Is it a "Structure" by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Our universe is interpreted, not compiled. It has Schrodinger Typing: many objects don't even know what type they are until you punch them in the face.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  7. What by sexconker · · Score: 4, Funny

    So Dr. Astrophysicist, what's that thing in space?
    I don't know but I based my PHD thesis on it.

    1. Re:What by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 3, Funny

      Surely the more appropriate answer would have been: "That? Oh it's nothing.".